


Water

by GoringWriting



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Healing, Hurt Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Hurt Lancelot (Merlin), M/M, Magic, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Near Death Experiences, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:34:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26281249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoringWriting/pseuds/GoringWriting
Summary: Lancelot is dying, he knows that because of the stab wound on his side and the blood pooling around him. He doesn't expect to be saved or healed. But he is, by a spirit of the water who liked him. Soon more develops between the two. Will their relationship survive Arthur discovering them?
Relationships: Lancelot/Merlin (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 115





	Water

Lancelot stumbles down the bank of the stream. He’s not entirely sure where he is. He knows that he was out hunting with the other knights and Arthur and then they were set upon by bandits or maybe a scouting party for Odin or Cenred. It could be anyone to be honest, not that it matters much now. He had taken a nasty hit to the side of his stomach and he is having trouble keeping himself from bleeding out onto the floor of the forest. He can feel his legs giving out and he goes tumbling down onto his hands and knees and he’s having trouble breathing. 

He needs to find the others and make sure they’re okay and then go find Gaius. He’ll need to take a few weeks off training and Gaius is probably going to yell at him. He crawls towards the stream and dips his hand into the cool water to wash at his wound. His breathing is becoming more and more labored. His hands are shaking, and he is trying not to cough up blood, he can’t make any noise, he doesn’t know who might be around to hear him. 

“Are you alright? You seem ill,” a voice says, and Lance looks up and sees a boy his age, with his ears sticking out and black hair and the brightest blue eyes Lancelot has ever seen. The boy’s ears are slightly pointed, and he’s wet, and his eyes are wide. 

“I need a physician, please. We were attacked,” Lancelot says, and he can feel something wet on his hand and he realizes his hand is laying in the shallow water of the stream where the boy happens to be standing. 

“I don’t know any physician nearby. You won’t make it to one anyway,” the boy says sadly, and Lancelot feels a cool hand press to his forehead, and he forces his eyes to focus on him.

“So…I’m going to die?” Lancelot whispers and the hand cups his cheek. The boy is smiling down at him and suddenly Lancelot feels coolness all over his body. He can feel water sliding over his body.

“What? What are you doing!” Lancelot says. He’s never cared about magic. He grew up travelling too much for him to care but the problem is he is a knight of Camelot. This boy should show more restraint. He should know that this is not a safe thing to do if Lancelot were any other knight, well except maybe Gwaine and Percival. He doesn’t really think they would care. But, Leon, Elyan, and Arthur were all raised to hate magic. 

“Healing you. You have a noble soul Sir Lancelot. I have watched you and the Knights you call brothers. You will all help usher in a time when people like me will no longer fear death just to help someone in need,” The boy says. 

“You know of us?” Lancelot asks wide eyed. He hadn’t expected the magic folk of the forest to know of him or the other knights of the round table. 

“Yes. I have watched you all from afar when I am doing my part to protect Camelot. I saw you risk punishment under Uther to bring food to the children of the lower town. I was there when Arthur drank the chalice of poison to get that curse removed. I was there when Leon drank the poison in the cup meant for Arthur and I am the one who provided the light that safely saw him through the cave for the cure. I am the one who defeated the Afanc and healed Elyan and Gwen’s father. I am the one who negotiated the additional test after he failed the second one. I am also the one who allows branches to fall on bandits and scouts…well that’s technically Will’s doing, but I asked him very nicely to do so,” the boy says.

“I always felt like I was being watched. Was that you this entire time?” Lancelot says.

“Yes, because my stream feeds into Camelot and specifically the town I am able to enter it and see all that goes on there. I can also see and hear through the water of my stream,” he says.

“Would such a generous creature give me their name? It feels wrong not to know the name of my savior,” Lancelot says and gasps in pain when his skin starts knitting itself back together. 

“Merlin. My name is Merlin, but some people call me Emrys,” Merlin says, and Lancelot smiles up at him. Not that the pain and panic is starting to abate he can see things he hadn’t noticed before. Such as how the kindness shimmering in Merlin’s eyes and the soft look of his lips.

“You should live, I am sorry I cannot do more but too many people saw you being injured. If I heal it too much then they will ask questions and I will not put you in that sort of danger,” Merlin says and Lancelot smiles. Even now he is doing what is best for the people around him. Lancelot smiles up at him and groans as his side begins to ache. 

“I can give you an herb to help with the pain but that is as much as I can do. Your friends are close by and I do not risk staying a moment more than I have,” Merlin says placing a bundle of plant in his mouth and Lancelot feels tears threaten to spring to his eyes at the taste.

His expression must be hilarious because Merlin giggles a bit before disappearing into the water. Lancelot frowns where could he running off to? He’s about to call out when he hears noise from deeper in the forest. 

“Lancelot!” He hears his name being called, it’s Percival. The Knights are looking for him!

“Over here!” Lancelot yells out and the movement pulls on the skin, he can still feel that the wound is open and bleeding, but it isn’t nearly as bad as it had been before Merlin helped him. He should have no issue making it back to Camelot. 

Lancelot closes his eyes and tips his head back a bit more when he hears the sounds of the forest being crushed under heavy boots, they are on their way to him. 

“Lancelot?” He hears someone call and he opens his eyes to see Gwaine, Percival and Arthur looking down at him and he immediately worries about Elyan and Leon and where they could be. 

“Leon and Elyan were sent back to Camelot to notify the court what happened. This way when we found you Gaius would be ready,” Gwaine says. 

“If you found me,” Lancelot corrects.

“Bold of you to assume we were leaving this forest without you,” Arthur says, and Lancelot feels himself being helped to his feet by Percival. 

“Do you think you can handle being on a horse?” Arthur asks.

“I believe I can,” Lancelot says climbing up on his horse. They must have managed to collect them when he was missing.

“How did you get here?” Gwaine asks.

“I don’t remember. I think I was stabbed and then I lured a few of them away from the rest of you and then I couldn’t find you so I started making my way to the stream to find my way back to Camelot to send help but then my body gave out and I fell and I remember picking some herbs that Gaius had shown me a long time ago to help with pain and I passed out. I came too when you called me,” Lancelot says. 

“Well goodness knows we wouldn’t have left you here,” Gwaine says and they begin the slow trek home to Camelot. 

It takes him week to heal. He’s pretty sure Gaius knows something about why his wound isn’t as bad as it should be, but he doesn’t ask questions, so Lancelot thinks he’s safe. Once he’s allowed to move around again his days are filled with training and searching for Merlin. 

He returns to the stream almost every evening hoping that the boy who saved him will show himself to him. It takes weeks, Lancelot was honestly starting to think that he imagined the person who saved his life. But, at the end of the third week he arrives at the stream to see the boy sitting on the rocks and smiling at him his hair slightly wet and his eyes shining in the reflection of the water. 

“Hello again Lancelot,” he says with a smile and he runs his hands through the water and lets it fall through the air. 

“I was starting to believe that you were a figment of my imagination. That I didn’t actually met you,” Lancelot says sitting on the rock beside him and Merlin smiles at him and Lancelot takes his hand and bows his head over them and touches his forehead to the knuckles and smiles. 

“I Sir Lancelot, Knight of Camelot owe you a life debt. One I don’t believe I could ever repay in this life,” Lancelot says, and he can feel Merlin turn his hands and cups his face.

“You owe me nothing Sir Lancelot. I helped you because it was what was right. I would do it again and again. No matter what. However, I do appreciate your company,” Merlin says and Lancelot smiles at him.

“Then you shall have my company,” Lancelot says with a smile and sits on the rocks beside him. 

Time passes and Lancelot is still visiting Merlin months after he was originally saved. In that time, he had learned quite a couple of things about the man. He learned that Merlin was distantly related to Gaius which is how he keeps getting involved in the things that keep happening in Camelot. He has been involved in their continued survival. He got to meet Merlin’s mother, a strong woman with a kind heart, just like her son. He even met Will who they have to thank for all the falling branches and tripping roots. Will isn’t too fond of them, especially Arthur. But he is fond of Merlin and willing to do just about anything Merlin asks of him. 

Lancelot is pretty sure he’s at that point as well. 

Slowly their companionship grows into soft longing looks and brief touches. Which turns into stolen kisses and secret smiles. Dates with Will chaperoning them. Lancelot is pretty sure he’s in love with the man from the stream that saved him. His Merlin. 

Merlin is a shy lover. Blushing every time that he gives or receives a kiss no matter where it might be and turning even redder when Lancelot holds his hand or touches his cheek. 

It’s almost a year after they met that Lancelot is back in the area of Merlin’s stream with the other knights of the roundtable. Arthur was stressed by his upcoming wedding, so he insisted that they go out on a hunt. 

No one is sure where the bandits came from. Probably Cenred’s kingdom. He has a habit of having a lot of those. Lancelot had just taken out one whose sword had been knocked away by a falling branch when he sees Arthur get stabbed clean through. 

“Arthur!” Leon says and they all gather around the king who seems to be trembling as his blood pools around him. 

“Is there nothing we can do? What of Gaius?” Elyan asks and Gwaine shakes his head. 

“He is not fit to travel and even if he was, he wouldn’t make it that far,” Gwaine says and Lancelot’s stomach sinks. 

“Well we can’t just do nothing! With Gwen and Arthur not married, the throne goes to Agravaine and I for one think there’s something about that guy,” Elyan says and Lancelot tightens a hand on his sword. He can see some of the trees shifting a little with Will’s warning to him, but the thought is there, and it seems to be the only way.

“Can he make it to the stream?” Lancelot asks and the trees seem to stiffen and rustle unhappily. 

“Cleaning the wound is not going to do much here Lancelot,” Percival says, and Lancelot drops his head. He can’t believe he is about to do this. He’s about to put Merlin in so much danger!

“I know someone who can help him!” Lancelot says quickly afraid that if he doesn’t then he never will and this needs to happen. They can’t let Arthur die. 

“You know someone…” Leon says. 

“I…yes…but…Um…his methods are not exactly legal,” Lancelot says. 

“A sorcerer?” Elyan says.

“A Nyad, a water spirit of the stream near here. His name is Merlin. He can heal the King,” Lancelot says. 

“Using Magic,” Leon points out.

“It’s that or Arthur dies. You can worry about my execution after we make sure he’ll live,” Lancelot says. 

“Leon. You were brought back to life via the cup of life were you not?” Gwaine asks and Leon looks down. 

“Yes, I was. You are right. It would be hypocritical of me to chastise Lancelot when I myself have been availed of magical healing,” Leon says.

“Now, can Arthur make it to the stream?” Lancelot asks. 

“Do you trust this Merlin?” Arthur asks having remained silent the entire time. 

“With my life. Remember when I was stabbed not far from here? He healed me. Without him I would have died,” Lancelot says, and they wrap the wound as best they can and Percival lifts Arthur into his arms and they make their way towards the stream and Lancelot can feel his stomach twisting in knots. 

The stream is in view when the roots of the nearby trees and branches crawl across to block their way. 

“Will please,” Lancelot says and the Dryad in question steps out from the trunk of his tree. 

“I will not allow this. Merlin trusted you with his life and safety and what do you do? Sell him out for the life of a Pendragon. I trusted you to keep him safe. Hunith trusted you and you have betrayed that trust and I will not allow the monsters near Merlin,” Will says. 

“Will, no harm will befall Merlin you have my word,” Lancelot says. 

“Your word means nothing to me Knight! I should have kept you away from the stream, I should have ensured you died,” Will says. 

“Will, why are you yell…Oh,” Merlin says his popping above the water, his eyes locking on the group of knights. 

“Merlin…I know that I am asking a lot of you. I know how much the Pendragons have harmed you, but I also know how much you care for Camelot and the people within. Please can you help us?” Lancelot asks glancing at Will. 

“I…Of course. Will, let them pass I trust Lancelot and besides Camelot cannot lose their King,” Merlin says, and Will huffs and the branches return, and he steps back into the trunk of his tree. 

“Bring him here, I will tend him as best as I can. Am I to heal him completely?”

“Please,” Lancelot says and Percival sets Arthur on the bank of the creek and Merlin begins pumping his magic into Arthur’s body and he groans.

“Sorry. This will hurt. The wound needs to knit itself back together and your wounds are severe. Lancelot can you find me something to help ease the pain?” Merlin says and Lancelot goes to the tree stump where he knows Will makes those plants grow and grabs one of them and bends it into the packet that Merlin had taught him to make and hands it to Merlin who places it in Arthur’s cheek. 

“Your magic feels like when you go for a nice swim and break water on a warm day,” Arthur says. 

“Thank you,” Merlin says and Lancelot smiles. 

“So…why are you so protective of Merlin, Lancelot?” Gwaine asks with a grin and a raised eyebrow that tells everyone he knows exactly why.

“We’re courti…” Lancelot starts to say but Merlin covers his mouth.

“I bewitched him. His relationship with me and his breaking of Camelot’s laws was not of his free will,” Merlin says glaring at Lancelot. 

“Yeah no. I don’t believe that for a second. Neither does Arthur, I hope. Though it is noble of you to attempt to keep Lancelot safe,” Gwaine says and Arthur groans and sits up. 

“Stay down. You will need a few moments rest to recover fully,” Merlin says and Arthur slumps back onto the ground. 

“Thank you, Merlin,” Lancelot says brushing a kiss to his ear and then adds, “go, if they follow, I will hold them off.”

“I don’t quite know how to feel about my Knight plotting treason above my body,” Arthur grumbles and they freeze.

“Sorry Sire,” Lancelot says. 

“I…can’t say that I’m happy that you would conceal something like this from me…but I can only imagine it was my father’s ghost playing a role in it. Merlin, thank you for saving my life. It seems that the world has set out to let me know that I need to rethink my opinion and realizing perhaps there is a place for magic in Camelot. However, I would need time and to do a lot of thought into this law,” Arthur says. 

“Hear that Will, he’s not so bad!” Merlin shouts and the tree rustles.

“We should get back to Camelot who knows if there are any more bandits out there waiting for night to attack,” Leon says and Merlin smiles. 

“Very good idea Sir Leon. I am glad I told the Druids where you were,” Merlin says.

“You…”

“Well, I couldn’t let Lancelot’s friend die, now could I?” Merlin says and Leon looks as though he is in a panic. 

“For someone who can’t leave the creak you sure do know a lot of things and talk to a lot of people,” Lancelot says.

“Will helps me, he can move into other trees with another Dryad’s permission and he can talk between trees. He then tells me,” Merlin says with a shrug.

“You can’t leave the stream?” Percival asks eyes wide and looking at Lancelot sadly. 

“I cannot. I can however go where its water is. Which, this stream happens to flow into the water that you use in Camelot, so, with a little energy and creativity I do get to visit,” Merlin says with a tight smile. 

“Lance…” Percival says.

“I know Percival. I thought about that as well when we first got together but I know deep down that if I wasn’t with him, I would be even sadder. Better to have him whenever I can come here or he can go to Camelot than to not have each other at all,” Lancelot says and Merlin frowns softly but nods. 

“I am sure that there is something that can be done so that Merlin can be with you more often. Once the law is done, I can ask Gaius,” Arthur says, and Merlin bows his hand and Lancelot bows as well. 

“Thank you, Sire,” they both say and Arthur smiles. 

“We’ll make our way back to Camelot along the creak so that you and Merlin can have some time together,” Arthur says.

“Thank you, Sire.”

The Knights allow Lancelot to hang back at the end of their group so that he can talk to Merlin with a bit of privacy. Nothing about this is perfect but it as good as they can be at the present time.


End file.
